SPRINGFIELD -- Parents and guardians for children under age 4 have a new warning to heed from drug companies regarding cough and cold medicines. The advice about those drugs is changing for the second year in a row. This time, drug companies bent to the advice of doctors who doubt those cough and cold medicines really help patients under age 4.

The mother of three girls, Tonya Gomes, who works in the business office at KY3, is no stranger to cold and flu season.

"It seems like they have them from birth on,” said Gomes.

Once the coughing, the sneezing, and the runny noses start, it used to be that she would head to the medicine cabinet.

"With my first child I would,” she said.

But warnings from the medical community have caused her and many other parents to think twice.

"It causes unnecessary sedation,” said Dr. Jessica Van Bibber of Cox Family Medicine.

Recently, drug companies began heeding those warnings, and adding warnings of their own. They now advise no cold or cough medicines for kids under 4.

"There are no proven benefits,” said Van Bibber.

As for Gomes, she started heeding the warnings of doctors awhile back.

“Not since the warnings came out,” she said.

She and other parents are left to listen to other advice about what to do instead.

"Keep a humidifier around,” she said. "We have so many worries. Why add one more?"

Moms and dads might remember that the advice last year was against giving the meds to kids under age 2. This new advice comes after discussions with the Food and Drug Administration.

As for allergy medicines, drug companies specifically advise giving kids antihistamines to help children sleep. Those recommendations are going on packaging that hits stores this week.